Electric cut-out



t e e h S s t nu e .n s 2 m. Rnw ET L U .SG INU Tl. BR HT .m GL E m. d O M 0 mm mm1/VEO@ @am M?" Y Patented Aug. 26, 1890.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

C. HEISLBR. ELECTRIC GUT-OUT. No. 435,223. Patented Aug; 26, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HEISLER, OE ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR To THE UNITED GAS IMPROVEMENT COMPANY, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC CUT-OUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,223, dated August 26, 1890.

Application filed April 26, 1889. Serial No. 308,652. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HEISLER, of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Cut-Outs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention is desig'ned to guard against breaks or abnormal resistances in an electric Io circuit in the event of the conductors of the lamps breaking', burning out, or not working properly, and while I have shown the invention as applied to an incandescent' electric lamp I do not wish to limit the broad prin- I5 ciple of my invention to this application.

My invention consists, broadly, of apiece of material of poor conductivity in shunt with the lamp or circuit to be protected, said piece being of material expansible or movable zo within itself, and being in engagement with a movable contact, whereby when the lamp.

or branch circuit failsto work the cut-out piece will become heated by the current and then expand or move, causing the movable contact-point to be operated to close the circuit and-cut out the defective lamp or branch entirely.

My invention also includes the combination, with the cut-out device, of the operating- 3o piece made of composition material, and nonmetallic.

It includes, further, the'combination, with the cut-out device, of the operating-piece made of aspecial composition. In this device means 3 5 are provided for automatically closing the circuit when the terminals of the filament or of the branch circuit are withdrawn from their contactsvas, for instance, when the lamp is removed from its Socket-and this 4o means constitutes apart of my invention. The details of construction and insulation are also included in my invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section and side elevation of the lamp working normally. Fig. 2 is a similar view aquarterturn from Fig. 1 part of the frame being broken away. Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1, parts being broken away, and with the lamp or branch circuit cut out. Figs. 4, 5, and

5o 6 are detail plan views on lines y y, and

,c a, respectively, Fig. l. Fig. 7 is a bottom View on line c on, Fig. I.

In the drawings, X is the lamp, and Y the casing containing the cut-out mechanism. The casing is composed of upper and lower flanged pieces M N, of insulating material. Over these may be placed the metallic covering-sheets m n, connected by a joint Z, or the insulating-anges may have thinner portions m n', which extend to connect with each 6o other, as in Fig. 3. The insulating-piece M has an opening through it, about which is embedded the threaded Socket 2, and into this the tubular support 3 is screwed. The pieces M N are connected by two brackets A I5, preferably of metal, and essentially of good conductivity. The line-wires a b enter through the tube 3 and are connected electrically and mechanically with the brackets A B, respectively, by binding-screws. The lamp iits in a 7o socket Il, formed by the extension of the shell n, and its terminals d b (which may represent the terminals of any branch line) pass through the bottom piece. N and into electrical contact with the brackets A B, being held by Spring-arms .I K, hereinafter referred to. The circuit from the line is thus formed through the wire o., for instance, the bracket A, lamp-terminal a', lamp or branch circuitterminal b', bracket B, and line-wire b. eis the 8o movable contact, shown as a leverpivoted to ears of bracket A, with its end adapted, under abnormal conditions, tobe moved into contact with the other bracket to establish a short circuit and cut out the defective lamp or branch. The rear end ot the movable Contact e rests under tension of spring 7a upon the metallic end d of the cutout-operating piece D, which is shown as in the shape of a bar supported in a bearing on the bracket B. 9o This piece is in electrical connection with the bracket B, and also the bracket A, through the contact e; but it is of high resistance, and therefore does not rob the circuit or lamp ot' any appreciable amount of current. The said operating-piece is made of material which will expand, bend, twist, or move in some way under the action of a considerable current-as, for instance, by becoming iieXible it will be bent downwardly by its own weight. For this Ico purpose I form it of a compound preferably non-metallic and made up of rubber and carbon-dust or graphite or other conducting substance, the ingredients being so proportionated that the piece is of poor conductivity. When the lamp or branch circuit fails to work properly, and an abnormal resistance thus arises, the current will be forced through the operatin g tubular piece D,which, under action of said current, will expand, bend, or move in Such a way that the contact-piece will move into engagement with the bracket B, and thus establish the circuit directly between said brackets. The operating-piece has a shank 6 extending through the shell, upon which is a finger-piece by which the bar D may be turned to reset the parts, as in Fig. l.

As before stated, the terminals a b are held by spring-arms .I K. When the lamp is removed, it is essential that the circuit be not broken, and for this purpose the arxn .I extends from the bracket B,where it is pivoted, over in front of the bracket A, and when the terminals are removed the spring-arm bears upon the said bracket A, and thus keeps the circuit closed. A manual switch is also provided in this device, which consists of the spring H, supported on a lug h of the bracket B, and extending across to bear upon the lug h of the other bracket, and the switch-key G F, supported in a bearing f of the bracket B. The two brackets constitute the main supports for the parts, the means of connecting the upper and lower pieces M N, and the electrical conductors between the lines and the terminals a b.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a cut-out device, a movable contactand a non-fusible eXpansible operating-piece permanently in shunt to conduct the current and effect the closing of the circuit when the lamp or branch circuit fails to Work, substantially as described.

2. In a cut-out device, a movable contact and a non-fusible expansible operating-piece D permanently in shunt to conduct the current and effect the closing of the circuit when the lamp or branch circuit fails, said piece being non-metallic, substantially as described.

3. In a cut-out device,a movable contact and a non-fusible expansible operating-piece permanently in shunt to conduct the current and effect the closing of the circuit when the lamp or branch circuit fails to work, said piece being composed of rubber and a conducting substance or material, substantially as described.

4. In combination, in a cut-out, the supporting-bracket B, forming part of the circuit, the

movable contact, and the automatically-operating piece D, of high-resistance conducting material, supported by said bracket, the said movable contact being in engagement with said piece D, substantially as described.

5. In combination, the two supportingbrackets A B, forming parts of the circuit between the main line and the lamp, the movable contact e, supported in the bracketA and arranged to move against the other bracket, and the eXpansible operating-pieceD, in shunt and in engagement with the movable cont-act, substantially as described.

6. In combination, the two supportingbrackets A B, forming parts of the circuit between the main line and the lamps, the movable contact c, in connection with one bracket and arranged to engage with the other bracket when moved, and the expansible operatingpiece D, in engagement with the movable contact, said piece being supported by the other bracket, substantially as described.

'7. In combination, the lamp and the holder, the lamp-terminals, the contacts iixed to the holder, and an automatically-movable arm operating between the contacts to close the circuit between them When the terminals of the lamp are removed, said arm being in line with the terminals to be moved thereby and acting to hold the lamp by engaging with said terminals and holding them against the contacts, substantially as described.

8. In combination, the lamp with itsterminals, the holder with the brackets A B, forming parts of the circuit, the contacts to receive the terminals, and the autom atically-movable arm J, arranged in line with the terminals, for holding the lamp and for closing the circuit, substantially as described.

9. In combination, the lamp with its terminals, the holder with its contacts therefor, and the lamp-holding arm pivoted toone contact and arranged to move against the other and bear upon and be moved by the terminals of the lamp.

10. In combination, the lamp, the holder, the cut-out mechanism comprising the movable contact and the thermo-motive piece D, said piece being eXpansible and having an extension outside the holder for resetting the parts, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES IIEISLER.

Vitnesses:

GEO. M. BLOCK, W. AUFDERHEIDE.

IOO

IIO 

